Granville
GEORGE LEVESON- GOWER, 2nd EARL, an English statesman; born in London, May 11, 1815; educated at Eton and Oxford, and entered Parliament in 1836 as member for Morpeth, exchanging that seat for Lichfield in 1840. He succeeded to the peerage in 1846, and five years later entered the cabinet of Lord John Russell, holding the seals of the Foreign Office. From that time forward he held office in every Liberal ministry. He became president of the Council in 1853, and leader of the House of Lords in 1855. He labored arduously in connection with the great exhibitions of 1851 and 1862. Lord Granville was charged to form a ministry in 1859; but having failed to do so he joined Lord Palmerston's second administration. He retired with Earl Russell in 1866, having the preceding year been made Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. In December, 1868, he was appointed Colonial Secretary in Mr.
Gladstone's first ministry, and on the death of Lord Clarendon in 1870 became Secretary for Foreign Affairs. He arranged the treaty between England, France, and Prussia guaranteeing the independence of Belgium; and confirmed with Prince Gortchakoff the agreement that Afghanistan should form an intermediary zone between England and Russia. In 1880 he again became foreign secretary under Mr. Gladstone, and disforeign secretary under Mr. Gladstone, and displayed considerable diplomatic skill in matters relating to the Berlin treaty, the occupation of Tunis, and the revolt of Arabi Pasha in Egypt. He retired with GRASS his chief in 1885, but returned once more to office as colonial secretary in 1886, resigning again with his colleagues in August of the latter year. He died in London, March 31, 1891.